Food Archives - Page 18 of 20

How to Preserve Lettuce: Egg Rolls

About this time of year as the weather turns hot, lettuce in the garden will either turn bitter or bolt. This cool season crop is not suited to temperatures in the 80’s. Oft times we find ourselves with an abundance of this delicious and nutritious crop. It can turn into a zucchini type proposition where friends run from you when you approach with a bag (or ten) of lettuce. Unfortunately there is no good way to preserve it. Until now.

A long time ago I had a recipe for egg rolls that used lettuce instead of cabbage. That recipe is long gone so I began experimenting. This recipe takes a significant quantity of lettuce. The beauty is freezing the rolls to enjoy in the winter.

Egg Rolls

2 raw chicken breasts
1.5 inch piece of ginger
2 stalks of celery
1 small onion
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup finely diced sweet peppers
8 cups chopped lettuce
1 package egg roll wrappers
1/2 cup canola oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken into large chunks and place in food processor. Add one inch pieces of celery and onion. Peel and coarsely chop ginger; add to food processor. Pulse until ingredients are minced. Sauté mixture in a large stockpot until chicken is cooked through. Add sesame oil and diced sweet peppers. Sauté until peppers are cooked, about three to four minutes. Add lettuce and cook until wilted.

Make egg rolls by placing a quarter cup of chicken mixture diagonally on wrapper. Fold bottom point over filling, then each side. Wet the edge of the top point with water, then roll up. Place each egg roll on a wire rack while rolling the rest.

Heat oil over medium heat. Fry point side down until lightly golden, turn and fry other side; about 30-45 seconds per side. Drain on a rack over cookie sheet. Repeat until all egg rolls are cooked.

Let cool and wrap individually in waxed paper or parchment paper. Freeze in ziplock baggies.

To reheat: place frozen egg rolls on rack over a cookie sheet. Place in cold oven and set to 350. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce for dipping.

Chive Blossoms

Chive blossoms are more than just a pretty decoration at the end of an oniony stalk. These delicate purple blooms are edible. Pick whole blossoms by pulling gently at the base of the flower to pop off the entire bloom. Give them a quick rinse and dry on a paper towel or drying rack. You can even use a salad spinner.

After most of the bloom is dry (don’t worry about every drop of water evaporating), grasp the stem end in one hand and pluck out the tiny blossoms with the other. These individual blooms will pull out several at a time.

My favorite way to use chive blossoms is stir into mashed potatoes just after mashing. The blooms add a faint chive flavor plus a splash of color.

Another option is to include a handful in each layer of au gratin potatoes. The color stands out against the creamy white sauce and golden yellow cheese.

Salads are an additional tasty place to use these blooms. Sprinkle a few across the top of a green lettuce salad for an unusual color addition.

This year, the blooms are abundant and I experimented with freezing the blooms for later use. After washing and drying, pull apart the blooms. Spread in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze for several hours or overnight. Pack in crush proof containers or freezer bags. After a week in the freezer, I tested some by sprinkling over grilled cheesy potatoes. Just like fresh picked. I expect to use these throughout the winter.

To make grilled potatoes:

Slice four to five medium potatoes onto a large sheet of heavy duty foil. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Fold over the foil to seal tightly. Place over hot coals on charcoal grill turning occasionally for about 20 minutes. Remove from grill, open the packet and sprinkle with a half cup of shredded cheese and a handful of fresh or frozen chive blossoms. Close the packet for three to four minutes or until the cheese has melted.

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And try some chive blossoms….

It’s Asparagus Time!

Don’t get caught eating slime.

Fresh asparagus is nothing like slimy canned stuff. Not that I’ve ever decided to try the slimy canned stuff. It just never appealed. But fresh, oh my. And to pick a handful, walk straight to the kitchen and have it on the table in under 30 minutes. Well, it just doesn’t get much fresher than that. One of my absolute favorite things is to pick something fresh and go straight to preparation then table. Ok, I know everyone can’t do that, but the next best thing is to buy from a farmer’s market.

Oh, but asparagus picked from your own patch. This delicious vegetable is one of the first in the spring to poke through the ground. It will provide a plethora of delicious meals.

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that is planted in a row from root crowns. It does take awhile to establish a new asparagus bed. Although this is a bonus in years 3-25, it is a slow wait until your asparagus starts producing.

Buy root crowns from a reputable source. Asparagus comes in male and female although both are not required to produce. The female varieties produce a thinner stalk while the male produces a thicker stalk. Both are delicious and it is a personal preference which style you like.

To plant asparagus, dig a trench 6 inches deep, approximately 12 inches wide and layer in compost down the middle of the trench. Spread the root crowns across this mound of compost and cover with 2 inches of soil. After a couple of weeks, cover with another 2 inches of soil and repeat until the bed is slightly mounded.

Then the wait begins. You will not harvest the first two years from this bed so the plants can invest all of their energy into root systems. The third year you may harvest lightly and after the fourth year you can harvest as needed. Shoots will come up quickly. Monitor frequently through the early spring.

To harvest, cut the spears near ground level or bend gently until it snaps off. We use the bend and snap method.

What to do with that harvest? Try grilled or oven roasted spears. Drizzle spears with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. To grill, place directly on the grill grates, turning frequently until lightly charred but still crisp-tender. When you aren’t grilling, you can roast in 425 oven, Use a shallow pan, toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once.

If neither of those methods suit you, fresh asparagus is excellent in a quiche, sautéed with scrambled eggs or lightly steamed with a rich hollandaise.

Drop us a comment about your favorite spring vegetable and how you like it prepared.

Eat Healthy

What can you do to eat just a little bit healthier?

First, buy local whenever possible.

The farmer’s markets will begin soon. Just a bit of planning can have you looking for those growers in your area. Be cautious though. Some farmer’s markets have vendors that truck in vegetables from miles away. Although these people need to make a living too, this is not much different than buying your food at a national grocery store.

Next, learn what vegetables are in season.

When you eat seasonal foods, you do a couple of things for yourself. One is save money. Foods are abundant when they are in season, so the cost is lower. Seasonal plus local equals higher quality. The food has less time between farm and table so it retains more nutrients.

Grow your own.

Ok, everyone can’t grow their own vegetables due to space or time constraints. But maybe you can join in with a friend who has a garden. Check to see if there is a community garden plot available. If those are not options everyone surely has room for a pot of basil or chives on the window sill. Fresh herbs make everything taste better.

At Five Feline Farm we are striving to grow as much of our own food as possible. Keep checking back for updates on what is in season. You may even see a suggestion or two on how to use these garden goodies.